Adam Williams
BBC Sport at the Vitality Stadium

Image source, BBC Sport

Food stalls are back serving snacks and drinks, tunrstiles are clicking again and seat backs are thudding up and down as supporters stand up and sit down in this ground for the first time in a long time.

Around 2,000 lucky home fans have got through a ticketing ballot to be here for this first leg and a well-oiled system of staggered entry to the four stands saw them all get out of the sharp showers earlier and inside the ground.

Not long to go now for them as they hope to roar their side towards an immediate return to the Premier League.

Image source, BBC Sport

BBC Radio Shropshire

A pub landlord is hoping for a bumper summer of sporting events combined with local support to bounce back from the double financial hit of flooding and Covid.

The Salopian Bar, in Shrewsbury, has been closed since January 2020 after the River Severn flooded and then the pandemic struck.

One of the owners, Kev Rippard, said they'd spent the time expanding their outdoor seating and putting up big screens to get custom from sports lovers.

"We are hoping people will come down, watch the football, sporting, boxing events. [There is] plenty of space to pack people in," he said.

"We are massively excited to be back and it is great to see our regular faces again."

Matt Hancock says the B.1.617.2 Covid variant is "not tending to penetrate into older, vaccinated groups".

Report finds that there were no serious failings in PSNI's handling of the funeral.

Pubs and restaurants can also serve alcohol indoors as most of Scotland moves to level two restrictions.

Cinema workers across England return to work as lockdown restrictions ease further.

The Hippodrome Casino added some theatrics as it's chief executive Simon Thomas declared it open, with a bang.

Some Puerto Rico beaches are protected as endangered turtles nest in the sand.

Blackburn with Darwen's public health chief says people will be "surprised how eligible they are".

Holidaymakers from England, Scotland and Wales are now able to jet off for some early summer sun.

Indoor play areas have reopened in England and Wales as lockdown restrictions ease.

Covid testing is due to be increased this week in Nuneaton and Bedworth after positive cases of the Indian variant were found.

The strain known as VOC-21APR-02 has been found in the Abbey Ward area, although Warwickshire County Council said it was a "small number" of cases.

A second seven-day testing site will be set up and everyone living in the area will be offered a PCR test.

The authority said it was also looking to introduce a collect-and-drop scheme this week along with door-to-door testing in the Abbey and Wembrook wards.

Hull aquarium The Deep is one of many businesses eager to welcome back customers after a tough year.

The Deep aquarium has taken out loans to keep its animals alive in "very difficult" year.

Administrators for Great British Prawns say Covid restrictions had a "significant impact" on the Balfron business.

Image source, PA Media

The Science Museum in London reopens on Wednesday with a new, contemporary display.

To mark the history of the pandemic, a Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine vial will join the museum's collection.

The moment two friends and work colleagues hugged for the first time in more than a year was captured in York this morning.

Dawn Clements (right) and colleague Sarah Atkinson usually greet each other with a hug before starting work at St Leonard's Hospice in the city.

But because of the Covid pandemic that's not been possible - until today.

With the easing of restrictions the friends grabbed the chance to remedy that.

Dawn told BBC Radio York reporter Julia Lewis: "I really looked forward to this hug for so long. Hugging is very important."

After the long-awaited hug, she said: "I'm really emotional. It's the first physical human contact I've had in such a long time."

From today rules on hugging and social distancing have been relaxed in England and Scotland.

In England, people can hug friends and family in any setting, but are being advised to use "personal judgement".

With outdoor contact sports allowed again, the return of full contact five-a-side football in Aberdeen seems to have hit the back of the net.

At the Goals facility in the city, players are immediately back on the pitch taking advantage of the relaxed rules.

Among those battling it out today were Working Rite and Street Soccer Scotland teams.

Liam Duncan from Working Rite – a youth employment charity – says: “Getting back into proper football is brilliant. It’s been tough the last few months just doing non-contact.

“It really motivates - blow off the cobwebs of the weekend. We’re easing ourselves back in, everyone’s still a bit cautious but I’m sure that’ll change and we’ll be flying into tackles!”

Local Democracy Reporting Service
Herbert Soden

Gateshead’s director of public health has urged everyone to get Covid tests, warning the virus is “still a threat”.

It comes after the first cases of the Indian variant of Covid-19 have been found in the North East, although numbers here remain the lowest of anywhere in England.

It has so far been detected 19 times across the region – and the number covers all of Newcastle, Northumberland, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside, Sunderland, County Durham, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton, Hartlepool, and Darlington.

Alice Wiseman, Gateshead Council’s director of public health (pictured below), said the latest variant shows the virus is still a problem.

She said: “Thankfully the number of cases across our region remains low, which makes it easier to trace those who have been in close contact with individuals who have tested positive, and take steps to prevent further spread.

“Although the numbers are small, this is a timely reminder that the virus is still a threat.”

With people now able to socialise indoors, Ms Wiseman said that the public should take lateral flow tests twice a week.

She said: “We must continue to protect each other. I’d encourage everyone to use lateral flow testing kits twice a week, but you should also arrange a PCR test straight away if you develop symptoms – even if the symptoms are mild or if your lateral flow test result is negative."

Free testing kits can be collected locally - check your nearest place online by using NHS England’s site finder., external

As indoor drinking and socialising is allowed again, Kathleen Brain, who owns The Steamboat pub in South Shields, said she was really looking forward to seeing their "lovely" regulars again.

"It's going to be great, it's so exciting to see them again, we've missed them, we've really missed them," she said.

"The majority of my customers are over 50 and they've all had their jabs now so I'm hoping that's given them a bit of reassurance and they'll all come out.

"We've got all the correct procedures in place - they all know how seriously we take this, and I hope they'll feel really safe."